Sugar Buster for Healthier Habits

--Diabetes?--Obesity?--Heart disease?--High Cholesterol?--High blood Pressure?--Stroke?

Who’re gonna Call?    

      Nearly two years ago, my friend K.C. gave me the book, The New Sugar Busters! Cut Sugar to trim Fat by Leighton Steward, Sam S. Andrews, M.D., Morrison C. Bethea, M.D. and Luis A. Balart, M.D.  I have to confess, I never took time to read it then, but this past week, illness gave me the luxury of time for reading.  So I dove in.  The book was shocking, yet logical and it triggered some changes for me on a personal level.  I hope in this short review, the facts might also resonate in your mind and heart, and you might see how making healthy changes and better choices might positively affect your family’s well-being.

Michelle Obama has good reason to crusade against obesity.  In the last ten years, obesity rose more than it had in the previous 40 years.  It is rising so rapidly that it will soon replace smoking as the #1 cause of death.  The good news is that both obesity and smoking are lifestyle choices than can be changed.  The Sugar Buster authors claim that Sugar Buster’s lifestyle is simple, easy, effective and inexpensive -- we just need to learn to eat like our ancestors did 400 years ago.  That means zero refined sugar, and only whole-grain and unrefined foods.  It is a high fiber, low-glycemic diet.  As with any dietary change it is always good to check with your health care provider, though I’m sure most of them are already recommending that you eat healthier.

Sugar is main culprit in diabetes and obesity epidemic

Sugar Busters’ strategy is to control, and lower the body’s insulin requirement, so we can become lean and healthy.  You won’t learn about that on TV or in magazines, because they love to promote highly processed foods.  When eaten, these cause a rapid rise in blood sugar, which immediately creates a big demand for the hormone insulin—also known as the “fat storage hormone.” 

By changing what we consume and by avoiding high glycemic index carbs (white potatoes, white rice, white flour, corn products, and all refined sugars), we turn the corner towards health.  By choosing wholesome natural foods, i.e. fruits, vegetables, whole grains, meats, and healthy fats, we arm ourselves with the tools for successful weight loss and better health.  Once we begin carefully reading labels and teach our children to look for and avoid hidden sugars, we add another power tool to our family’s health plan.

When insulin is under control, and meals focus on protein and green vegetables, a friendlier secretion called glucagons is released.  It helps with the mobilization of previously stored fat.  Unlike insulin, it burns stored fat, rather than inhibiting its use.

Hopefully, this overview of the book Sugar Busters, will motivate you to read more, for it speaks forcefully, that as Americans we must be more prudent about the health choices we make.  Hopefully, you’ll follow up with more reading and lifestyle changes that will build better health in your family this new year.  Please share your successes.  

Fixes For February Funk

Fun in the Sun, when There Ain’t None

Yup, it's still up Feb.1 and I love it!

Other than leaving your bright Christmas decorations up through February, what else can you do to do to brighten up the dark days of winter?   Neither hibernation nor stagnation is the answer.  With a little effort and ingenuity, winter can become the season of great productivity for projects we don’t have time for in the summer. Family history, scrapbooking, quilting, writing, reading, genealogy, creating family media projects and family blogs can be great connecting activities for families.  Parents and grandparents will be surprised and thankful for tech-savvy kids, who can teach and help with such projects.  Doing things together makes for great memories.

Exercise

With the completion of a wonderful wellness center in Blanding, we no longer have an excuse for not exercising during the cold, icy weather.  A full slate of classes, plus exercise equipment and floor space for concurrent games should appeal to all ages and skills. 

   However, on opening morning, we were the only two there at 7:30 AM…what happened to the crowds?!  Twelve laps around the court gives you 1 miles of warm safe walking. Then by adding in strength training, and bicycling or rowing you get a good variety of exercise for the whole body. This great facility should squelch any excuse you might have about fitness goals for the year.  Schedules can be picked up at the city office, or at the center.

Burn Fat and Get Healthy

  To rev up your metabolism Dr. Oz this past week recommended:

--Weigh yourself soon after you get up

--Next drink 1 cup of cold water

--Exercise within ½ hr. after getting up

--Eat after exercising, high fiber, high protein

--Eat lunch 4.5 hrs. after breakfast, and supper at least 3 hrs. before going to bed.

--Don’t eat after supper

--When overcoming sugar addictions, chromium picolinate helps, as well as B+ complex vitamins

--Eat 4-1 ration of white meats (or fish) to red meat.

--Eat the brightest fruits and vegetables possible, as they are full of antioxidants.

Eat Wisely

While you’re serious about personal improvement, add this heart healthy recipe to your breakfast routine.  Prepare it the night before and it will be hot, delicious and ready to eat by morning.

Slow-Cooked Steel Cut oats (or cracked wheat)

2 cups steel cut oats or cracked wheat

¼ C. brown sugar

¼ tsp. salt

1-2 cups finely copped apple

½ cup chopped walnuts, almonds or sunflower seeds

¼ C. flax seed (or more)

8 cups water

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ c. cranberries, raisin, or dates

Grease the inside of a 4 qt slow cooker with 1 T. butter.  Throw all ingredients in, mix well.  Cover and cook on low 8-9 hours.  Stir before serving with milk.  Yummy on a cold day.  Thanks to Mindy Taylor and Alison’s Pantry for the basic recipe.  (Did I mention--recipe experiments are great creative outlets for the whole family in the winter.  Have an iron chef competition inventing new recipes or using secret ingredients.)

Learning strategies for Mexican Train

Get Your Game On

Hopefully, one of your winter goals is to hold family time activities that promote interaction between family members. Put on your Kindergarten fun face and remember it’s a compliment when you hear: “Plays well with others.”

There are all kinds of wonderful board and card games on the market, plus group games galore that encourage interaction and socializing.  Plan time for fun  with family and friends. For simplicity I’ll list my all-time, tried and tested “funnest” indoor games.  If you want more information or have other favorites, call me: 678-2851

Group games:  Charades, Outburst, Scattergories, I’ve Never…, Candy bar game, Match game, Pictionary, Guesstures, Name that Tune,

6-12 players (can play singly or as partners): Word on the Street, Imagine If, Buzz Word, Dictionary game, Druthers, Conga, Spoons, Family Feud, Apples to Apples

4-8 players:  Five Crowns, Nines, Quiddler, Dumb Luck or Mormon Rook, Mexican Train, Snorta (fun with grandkids), Catch Phrase, Malarky,

Games with a twist:  Plan a dinner party using one of the “How to Host a Murder” game scenarios, Scene It, The Ungame, or Life stories where you get to know people better.

Cerebral fun: Dominoes plus math, Scrabble, Sequence, Blokus

4 players:   Pinochle, Rummikub, Rook

And the all-time “most boring game,” that I hope to never play again…Monopoly…sorry if that’s your favorite--It takes too long for me.  Have some fun this winter!

Make a pie shaped large circle for Fox n' Geese
For snowy outdoor fun play Fox n' Geese: